Lewis and Sennett are former child actors and were introduced to each other by Tara Subkoff, a mutual friend, in 1993. In 2001, original drummer Dave Rock left the band and was replaced by Boesel.
They began their career on Barsuk Records, releasing Take Offs And Landings in 2001. They moved to Omaha-based indie label Saddle Creek for their second album, 2002's The Execution of All Things. But come time for their third release, More Adventurous in 2004, the band left Saddle Creek for Brute/Beaute, a Warner Bros. imprint.
2004 saw a great increase in recognition for the band, as Sennett and Boesel released an album with their band The Elected and Lewis sang backup on Ben Gibbard's (Death Cab For Cutie) indie electronic side project The Postal Service. Lewis toured with The Postal Service before heading out on two tours in support of Rilo Kiley's More Adventurous in the summer and fall of 2004. The album spent late 2004 high on Billboard Magazine's Heatseekers Chart, success only furthered by appearances on the Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Kimmel Live. The band opened for Bright Eyes on the international leg of Conor Oberst's tour for 2005's i'm wide awake, it's morning. In Fall 2005, Rilo Kiley were the opening act for the North American dates of Coldplay's Twisted Logic Tour.
Lewis released her first solo album in January of 2006, with Leigh and Chandra Watson as Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins. The album, entitled Rabbit Fur Coat, was co-produced by Clifford M Ward and Mike Mogis. Furthermore, The Elected released their second album, sun, sun, sun on the same day as Lewis' album.
The 4th Rilo Kiley LP, Under the Blacklight, was released in August 2007. This has a more pop-influenced sound and received mixed reviews.
The band broke up in 2011 after vague statements made by Blake Sennett comparing the band to a "corpse" and referring to disagreements among members.
Pictures of Success
Rilo Kiley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Staying home can't be that bad for me
'Cause I'm not scared, but I'd like
Some extra spare time,
Easily earn me big money
I'm a modern girl, but I fold in half so easily When I put myself in the picture of success
I could learn world trade or try to map the ocean
When you're dead, in resting homes and clinics
When you're dead, it must be nice to finish
When you're dead
I've had it with you,
And Mexico can fucking wait
And all of those French films about trains
'Cause I'm not scared, but I'd like
Some extra spare time
I'm not scared, but the bills
Keep changing colors
When you're dead, in hospitals and freeways
When you're dead, in dress shirts and neck ties
When you're dead, in apartments and on beaches
When you're dead
They say California is a recipe for a black hole
And I say I've got my best shoes on,
I'm ready to go
Ready to go, ready to go, I'm ready to go
Ready to go, ready to go, I'm ready to go
These are times that can't be weathered
And we have never been back there since then
These are times that can't be weathered
And we haven't been back there since then
These are times that can't be weathered
And we have never been back there since then
These are times that can't be weathered
And we haven't been back there since then
“Pictures of Success” by Rilo Kiley is a song that deals with the topic of success and how people pursue it. The lyrics start with the line “Build your own television receiver, staying home can’t be that bad for me.” This line is a reference to the idea that people can create their own opportunities for success, even if they’re not traditional or involve staying at home. The singer is willing to take on any opportunity, and is not scared to try anything new.
The second part of the lyrics in “Pictures of Success” talks about the singer’s desire to have some extra time to pursue her goals. She mentions that she’s a modern girl, but she’s not afraid to take on new challenges. She feels that she can easily make a lot of money if she just had some extra spare time. However, she also acknowledges that she folds easily and is not always successful.
The last part of the lyrics deals with the idea of death and how it’s a reminder of how short life is. The song talks about how people die in hospitals, freeways, and resting homes. The lyrics provide a sense of urgency to live life to the fullest and not take anything for granted, as the singer is ready to go out and chase her dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
Build your own television receiver,
Create your own means of entertainment
Staying home can't be that bad for me
I don't mind staying home
'Cause I'm not scared, but I'd like Some extra spare time,
I'm not afraid but I would like to have more free time
Easily earn me big money
It can easily help me earn lots of money
I'm a modern girl, but I fold in half so easily When I put myself in the picture of success
I'm a modern woman but I easily doubt myself when I think of success
I could learn world trade or try to map the ocean
I could attempt to learn about global commerce or attempt to map out the ocean
When you're dead, in hospitals and freeways When you're dead, in resting homes and clinics When you're dead, it must be nice to finish When you're dead
When you're no longer alive, it might be peaceful to pass away in hospitals, rest homes, or clinics
I've had it with you, And Mexico can fucking wait And all of those French films about trains 'Cause I'm not scared, but I'd like Some extra spare time I'm not scared, but the bills Keep changing colors
I'm over you, and my trip to Mexico can wait. I'm also not afraid, but I would like to have some more personal time. Additionally, I'm not scared but the bills I receive keep becoming more and more expensive
When you're dead, in hospitals and freeways When you're dead, in dress shirts and neck ties When you're dead, in apartments and on beaches When you're dead
When you're not alive, slight differences don't matter in terms of passing away in places such as hospitals or beaches
They say California is a recipe for a black hole And I say I've got my best shoes on, I'm ready to go Ready to go, ready to go, I'm ready to go Ready to go, ready to go, I'm ready to go
People say California is a dangerous path to failure, but I'm ready to take on the challenge with the best equipment I have
These are times that can't be weathered And we have never been back there since then These are times that can't be weathered And we haven't been back there since then These are times that can't be weathered And we have never been back there since then These are times that can't be weathered And we haven't been back there since then
These times are irreversible and unchangeable, and we have never returned to that place in time since then.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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